Maya Angelou: Nina Simone Spoke The Anguish Of Racial Prejudice

02/02/2012 07:04 pm ET

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With Black History Month in full swing, this month also marks the 79th birthday (February 21) of Nina Simone. In addition to the celebration of Simone's date of birth is the re-launch of her official site, which launched last May under the guidance of her daughter, Simone (Lisa Simone Kelly).

The newly revamped site features exclusive content including unreleased songs, video performances, interviews and guest commentary. "As her only child, I have a unique vision compared to anyone else walking this earth," Kelly told us prior to the site's relaunch. "So a lot of what we're bringing to the site is from my perspective."

"They say 'the more things change, the more they stay the same.' Considering I am walking so closely in my mother's footsteps, that adage certainly applies, yet the subtle differences between Mommy's time and mine are vast," she added. "The best of her lives on in me and when I pass on, the best of us will live on in my little girl as she carries on the Legacy Simone." Next week the site will feature the fifth installment in its celebrity blog series from world renowned poet and author, Dr. Maya Angelou. Check out Angelou's blog excerpt below.

Poets, sculptors and singers, offer the human truth to the world. Nina Simone and her song, spoke of the loneliness of trust betrayed, the bitterness of heartbreak, the anguish of racial prejudice and the beauty of the melody when the human heart speaks lovingly of love. ~Maya Angelou

Head over to the site on February 8 to view Dr. Maya Angelou's posting in its entirety.